Would like for Lionel Messi to retire at Barcelona, says club President Joan Laporta

Barcelona President Joan Laporta has expressed his desire to see legendary striker Lionel Messi hang up his boots at the Catalan club and acknowledged that the Blaugrana and the Argentine superstar may not have parted ways on best possible terms. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner departed Camp Nou last summer and joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a free transfer.

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"It is an aspiration that I have as president, and I would like it to happen, [as] I have been jointly responsible for that end which I consider provisional. Messi's time at Barcelona didn't end the way we all wanted it to. It ended very much conditioned by economic reasons and we have a moral debt. In that sense, we would like the end of his career to be on a Barcelona shirt and applauded at all grounds where he goes," Laporta said.

Earlier this week, Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez said that while it would be "difficult" at this time, he would not completely rule out Messi's comeback in the future. "Makes no sense to speak about Leo Messi's comeback at Barcelona right now. He's under contract with PSG, so it's impossible. We'll see in the future. Laporta had already said he hoped it was not yet the end for Messi at Barca," said Xavi Hernandez, who shared a close relationship with Messi as teammates, winning two trebles together in 2009 and 2015.

Barcelona has been very busy in the transfer market this summer, raising concerns among rivals with the money the club spent to bring in new players. "I have the feeling that we are working well, the players want to come to Barcelona again. We are building a very well-balanced team that can challenge in all competitions with the intention of winning them," the club president added.

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"There is a lot of competition, with a minimum of two players per position who are very good. To those who were surprised, I say that we are very awake. We have returned to the market. The weight, strength and value of a club with more than 122 years of history is huge. There are more surprises to come," Laporta remarked.

When asked about other teams' worries or annoyances with Barcelona's most recent acquisitions, Laporta blamed it on their "ignorance" of the club's financial situation, claiming that the Blaugrana had "left the hospital [thanks to the] levers."

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